Special weekend treats

We all look forward to weekends. On Saturdays and Sundays, parents get to spend quality and quantity time with the kids; couples go out-to-town to rekindle old passion; and families trek back to the grandparents’ home to enjoy hours-long lunches.

Fot the special weekend, culinary authority Reggie Aspiras shares with readers two special recipes. She prefers to use Glad products like glad bake paper when creating magic in the kitchen. Those who have tried using glad bake paper certify making perfect cakes and pastries with it, while others line their skillet with glad bake for healthy cooking since it eliminates the need for oil or butter when pan-frying. When cooking en papillotte style, you can use glad bake paper and make it into a parcel for wrapping and cooking food to contain the steam and seal in the wonderful flavors.

Folks who wish to widen their culinary know-how can enroll in short courses at the Reggie Aspiras School of Culinary Arts.

The following are must-try recipes, courtesy of Reggie Aspiras and glad Wraps and Bags. Ordinary homemakers can become gourment chefs even only during weekends, and serve the family gastronomic delights as a fitting end to an eventful week. Enjoy your weekend!

CHOCO-ALMOND BISCOTTI
1 cup almond sticks (or slivered), toasted
3 cups flour plus 2 Tbsps. flour (on the table)
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
2 Tbsps. fresh milk
2 eggs (slightly beaten)
1 tsp. baking power
1/3 cup chocolate chips
egg whites
Glad bake paper
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
Measure 1 cup almond sticks (or slivered) and toast it.
In a small bowl slightly beat 2 eggs then set aside.

Put 3 cups plus 2 Tbsps. flour on the table then make a well. Put the following in the center: 3/4 cup sugar, 1/8 tsp. salt, 2 Tbsps. fresh milk, 2 slightly beaten eggs, 1 tsp. baking powder and 1 cup toasted almond sticks (or slivered). Using a fork, mix well. Add 1/3 cup chocolate chips. Mix until you can form a dough.

Divide dough into 2 balls. Shape and roll into jelly roll. Line baking sheet with Glad bake paer and transfer rolls. Brush with egg white. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.

PAMPANO AND CRAB EN PAPILLOTE
1.3 kilo pampano
2 Tbsps. olive oil
salt and pepper
cooked crab meat
spring onions
chopped chives
juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsps. olive oil
Glad bake paper

Sauce:
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped garlic
1/2 cup sliced shallots
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
juice of 1 lime

Garnish:
1 cup parsley
1 cup green and white leeks
hot oil
Pre-heat oven to 350°F (180°C).

Clean 1.3 kilo pampano then make slits on both sides. Heat 2 Tbsps olive oil. Season fish with salt and pepper. Transfer fish into hot oil and sear on both sides. Transfer pampano in a baking dish lined with long (hanging on sides) Glad bake paper. Top fish with cooked crabmeat, spring onions, chopped chives, juice of 1 lemon and 2 Tbsps. olive oil. Enclose pampano by overlapping 2 sides of Glad bake paper over the fish and twisting it (empanada- style.) Bake for 30 minutes.

Sauce: Heat 1/2 cup butter. Add in 1/3 cup chopped garlic, 1/2 cup sliced shallots. Caramelize until shallots become translucent. Add 1/3 cup chopped parsley, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Cook for 5 minutes over low fire. Add juice of 1 lime.

Garnish: Fry parsley quickly in hot cooking oil. Set aside. Also fry 1 cup each of green and white parts of leeks. Top these fried vegetables on baked fish before serving.